Cuzco: AMERICA'S ANCIENT MECCA
FAMILIAR FACES IN CUZCO
trimmed with gilt or silver braid. The
poor creatures have a sorrowful expres
sion and really have little to "cheer over"
excepting on the numerous fiesta days;
then they drink large quantities of chicha,
made from fermented corn, and become"
very hilarious.
The decorated street shrines, church
processions, and the like are little more
than a game to these simple Andean chil
dren. It is doubtful whether any form
of religion could have as deep a meaning
to them as had the ancient worship of the
sun to their ancestors. Few, I believe,
can see farther than the gorgeously
decked altars, the pageant of marching
Indian bearers, carrying great platforms
on their shoulders, supporting images of
the Virgin and the Saints. These images
are carried from the many churches to
the Cathedral, where they remain for a
visit of several weeks before being re
turned to their respective homes. The
original Virgin of the city was presented
to Cuzco by Charles V of Spain. The
figure is adorned with gold and precious
stones and when carried in the procession
stands on a pedestal of solid silver.
Only "a good bringing up" saved me
from walking off with the Inca relics in
one of the churches, ornaments wrought
by the conquered Peruvians to beautify
their Temple of the Sun. The present
church of Santo Domingo stands on the
foundation of this venerable temple, and
throughout the old part of the city are
.many remains of the ancient capital in
massive walls, doorways, aqueducts,
fountains, and terraces. Most imposing
are the walls.
I recall one street that is especially nar
row; little more than an alley, in fact;
the sidewalks are merely flagstones. On
either side rise mighty walls, forming the
foundations of Spanish structures. These
walls are twenty feet in height, com
posed of massive stones, a dark slate
color, irregular in size, rough on the sur
face. On all sides not exposed the stones
were accurately cut, fitting perfectly.
No mortar was used, yet the walls have
stood through the centuries and will out
live the sixteenth century buildings which
rise above them. The stones vary in
length from one to eight feet, in thick
ness from six inches to two feet, the
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